Before You Build in Palm Springs, CA: Permit & Rule Checklist (2026)

Palm Springs enforces California Building Code Appendix V and Health & Safety Code §115920–115929 (the Swimming Pool Safety Act) requiring barriers at least 60 inches tall with self-closing, self-latching gates and at least two approved drowning-prevention safety features for any new or remodeled pool or spa. Permits and inspections are required through Palm Springs Building and Safety.

Palm Springs defers to California Civil Code §841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act) for shared boundary fences. Adjoining property owners are presumed to benefit equally from a boundary fence and share the cost of reasonable construction, maintenance, and repair. A 30-day written notice is required before demanding contribution, and disputes proceed in civil court, not via the city.

Palm Springs requires a building permit for any fence or wall over 6 feet tall and for all masonry walls regardless of height. Fences at or below 6 feet of wood or similar light materials generally do not need a building permit but must meet Palm Springs Municipal Code Chapter 93.03 zoning standards. Properties in historic districts need Historic Site Preservation Board review before installation.

Palm Springs requires a building permit and engineered plans for any retaining wall over 4 feet in height (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall) or for any wall supporting a surcharge such as a driveway, pool, or structure. Hillside properties on the Mesa, Araby Cove, and Southridge face additional geotechnical and slope-stability review.

Palm Springs Municipal Code Chapter 93.03 (Walls and Fences) limits fences to 3.5 feet in required front yard setbacks and 6 feet in side and rear yards in most residential zones. Corner lots must preserve sight-distance triangles. Taller fences may be permitted with a minor variance or architectural review, and historic districts impose additional design controls on materials and appearance.

All new swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs in Palm Springs require a building permit from the Building & Safety Division under PSMC Chapter 8.04 and the California Building Code §3109. Permits cover excavation, structural, plumbing, electrical, gas, and barrier compliance. Inspections occur at multiple stages, and final approval is needed before filling and use.

Above-ground pools deeper than 18 inches and spas holding more than 18 inches of water are regulated like in-ground pools under the CA Building Code and H&S §115920+. They require permits, barrier compliance, electrical bonding, and setbacks. Small inflatable kiddie pools under 18 inches deep are exempt but still fall under parental-supervision expectations.

Hot tubs and spas in Palm Springs require building and electrical permits, must meet the same CA Swimming Pool Safety Act barrier requirements as pools unless they have a lockable ASTM F1346 hard cover, and must comply with Title 24 energy standards. Cover and lock are the most common compliance path for residential spas.

Beyond barriers, Palm Springs pools must comply with Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act anti-entrapment drain covers, NEC Article 680 bonding and GFCI, CA Title 24 energy standards, and Coachella Valley Vector Control mosquito-prevention rules for green or abandoned pools. Short-term rental pools face additional safety disclosures and often stricter enforcement.

California's Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code §115920+) requires every new residential pool or spa to have at least TWO of seven approved drowning-prevention safety features, including a 60-inch enclosure with self-closing/self-latching gates, approved safety cover, door alarms, or removable mesh fencing. Palm Springs enforces these at permit issuance and inspection.

Palm Springs regulates ADUs under Zoning Code Section 93.23.14 per California Government Code §65852.2. Detached ADUs up to 1,200 sqft/16 ft; attached up to 25 ft. 4-foot minimum setbacks. No STR use (31+ day minimum).

Garage conversions to ADUs are permitted under California Government Code §65852.2 and Palm Springs §93.23.14. No replacement parking required. Non-conforming covered parking is exempt when establishing an ADU.

Carports are an iconic mid-century modern feature in Palm Springs and are permitted as accessory structures under PSMC Title 9. They require building permits, must meet side/rear setbacks, cannot encroach into required front setbacks in most zones, and are subject to HOA architectural review and historic-district guidelines in neighborhoods like Twin Palms and Racquet Club Estates.

Palm Springs treats tiny homes based on construction type. Tiny homes on foundations are regulated as ADUs under California Gov Code §65852.2 and SB 1211/AB 2533 (2024); tiny homes on wheels are RVs/park trailers regulated by HCD and generally NOT allowed as permanent dwellings on single-family lots outside RV parks. Movable Tiny Houses meeting ANSI 119.5 can qualify as JADUs in limited cases.

Palm Springs exempts one-story detached accessory structures under 120 square feet (garden sheds, tool sheds) from building permits under CBC §105.2, but zoning still applies: sheds must meet setback requirements, lot-coverage limits, and height maximums (typically 12 feet), and HOA architectural review often adds color and siting constraints.

Open burning is prohibited in Palm Springs under PSMC Ch. 8.12, Riverside County Fire rules, and South Coast AQMD Rule 444.

Palm Springs permits fire pits under California Fire Code §307.4 with 15-foot clearance from structures. Gas and propane features are preferred. Wood burning may be restricted during MDAQMD no-burn days.

Private trees on private property are generally the owner's responsibility to trim, but the city requires clearances over sidewalks (8 feet) and streets (14 feet) and protects city-owned street trees under PSMC Chapter 8.16. Palm Canyon Drive and the historic Tennis Club area have additional tree preservation considerations, and desert species like palms and mesquites have specialized trimming windows.

Palm Springs protects street trees and specific heritage/desert species. Removing a tree from the public right-of-way or a protected species requires a permit from Public Works or Planning. Most private non-protected trees on single-family lots can be removed without a permit, but replacement may be required for trees counted toward a landscape plan.

Palm Springs is served primarily by Desert Water Agency (and some areas by CVWD), both of which set watering day restrictions under Coachella Valley drought rules. California AB 1572 (2023) phases out potable-water irrigation of non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, institutional, and HOA common areas by 2027, and PSMC Chapter 8.70 implements the state Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance with strict desert-appropriate limits.